Mediation services

Employee disputes cause disruption, lost productivity, stress and financial pain. Disputes can escalate into costly legal action and once the lawyers are involved, no one wins. It makes business and financial sense to resolve disputes early. Our in-house ACAS trained mediator will work with both parties (which could be employer and employee, or colleagues) to enable them to achieve a positive future working relationship.

Mediation by nature must be completely voluntary and confidential. Our trained mediator is an independent, impartial person who will help two or more individuals or groups reach a solution that's acceptable to everyone. The mediator will talk to both sides separately and together. Mediators don’t make judgments or finalise outcomes. The process involves asking questions to uncover key issues and underlying problems, and assisting the parties to understand the issues and help them to clarify the options for resolving the difference or dispute.

A typical mediation exercise involves the mediator holding a private pre-meeting with each party, followed a short while after by the mediation session itself where the parties are brought together. While mediation can be achieved in one day it will typically be 1.5 – 2 days, but the mediation session itself will never be longer than 1 day. Our trained mediator will charge myhrdept premium plus customers £900 + vat per day of mediation and new clients £1100. By contrast an employment tribunal claim can cost thousands to defend (even if you win), and employment solicitors can charge £300 per hour or more.

Many kinds of dispute can be mediated if those involved want to find a way forward. It can be used at any stage in a dispute but is most effective before positions become entrenched. ACAS estimate that around 80% of mediations are successful, and so it is well worth considering mediation as a means of diffusing problems before they become irrecoverable.

For a no obligation and free initial discussion please call myhrdept on 01628 820515 or email us and we’ll call you.